For centuries, agricultural workers have been plagued with the problem of removing oversized rocks from their fields to facilitate cultivation and reduce wear and tear on cultivating implements. Numerous prior art devices have been produced to pick up and collect or, in some instances, crush rocks lying on or near the surface of such fields. Unfortunately, where the rocks are only picked up and collected, their ultimate disposal may be a problem for the farmer having limited space in which to discard them. This is especially so in regions where fields must be cleared of rocks annually. Where provision has been made for crushing the collected rocks, the machinery used generally has been too large, too heavy and too expensive for use by many small agricultural businesses, such as small farmers, landscapers and the like.
Thus, a need exists for a simple, inexpensive device which may be readily drawn behind and powered by a conventional farm or garden tractor, for picking up, crushing and disposing of rocks found in agricultural fields. Preferably, such a device should be operable by a single person. It should be adjustable to vary the size of the crushed rock returned to the field, in keeping with the intended use of the field. The device should be easily transportable to a field over normal roadways, and should be of simple construction to permit routine maintenance by the owner or user.